12.04.2009

Earlier today, we were treated to a sneak peek of the upcoming Worldwake Intro Packs, the small expansion set (code named 'Long') which is due out in February, 2010.As expected, there are five different Intro Packs for Worldwake. Each pack contains a 41-card deck, 1 fixed foil rare, 1 random non-foil rare, 1 Worldwake booster pack, and a mechanics/rules insert.

The original post from a French on-line retailer causes some language translation grief for us but we believe we have the general gist of it now - just a warning - this is not yet official - get the corporate skinny from Wizards when it is released.

The "Fangs of the Bloodchief" deck puts you in control of Zendikar's most insidious predators - Vampires. With their assistance, you'll drain the life right out of your enemies.

Many cards in the Worlwake™ expansion can improve the "Fangs of the Bloodchief" deck. For example, Quag Vampires has a multikicker ability that allows you to make it larger the more mana you spend when casting it. Smother is an instant that destroys an early threat without allowing regeneration. Finally, Vampire Nocturnus from the Magic 2010 core set gives all of your Vampires +2/+1 and flying as long as the top card of your library is black.

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"Brute Force" /

The "Brute Force" deck gives you the reins of Zenkidar's largest monsters. Use them to stamp the competition into the ground!

Improvements to the "Brute Force" deck can be found throughout the whole Worldwake expansion. Summit Apes is a 5/2 creature that must be blocked by at least two creatures if you control a Mountain, which you almost always will. Arbor Elf's ability to untap your Forests gives you the mana you need to fuel enormous multikicker spells very quickly. Possibly the most impressive is Comet Storm, a red instant that deals as much damage as you want to as many different things as you want. The limitation is how much mana you have!

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"Rapid Fire" /

With the "Rapid Fire" deck, you'll crush the opposition under a sudden avalanche of creatures. By the time they know what hit them, they'll already be buried! Many of your creatures have landfall abilities that trigger when your lands enter the battlefield.

In the Worlwake™ expansion, you'll find Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs, a cruel Ogre who punishes your opponents when attacking your by giving your 3/3 Ogre creature tokens unless they pas 3 for each attacking creature. You'll also discover Admonition Angel, a 6/6 flying creature which exiles a permanent each time a land comes onto the battlefield under your control. Those permanents come back if Admonition Angel leaves the battlefield, but our opponent won't have any time to make that happen before you win.

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"Mysterious Realms" /

With the "Mysterious Realms" deck, you'll unleash fearsome creatures summoned upon your hapless enemies. Many of your creatures are hungry for space to roam. Thanks to their landfall abilities, they get bonuses every time a land enters the battlefield under your control.

In the Worlwake™ expansion, you'll find Explore, a sorcery that lets you draw a card and play an extra land, potentially triggering your landfall creatures twice in one turn. You'll also find Avenger of Zendikar, an Elemental that creates 0/1 Plant creature tokens when it enters the battlefield. Every land that enters the battlefield under your control after that makes the Plants larger!

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"Flyover" /

The "Flyover" deck puts you in command of a squadron of flying creatures. Halt you opponent's ground assaults and let loose a reign of terror from the air! Your evasive creatures will do most of your dirty work.

The Worlwake™ set contains more cards that help the "Flyover" deck. Wind Zendikon turns a land into yet another flying creature for your aerial army. Sejiri Merfolk is a blue creature that gets more powerful if you control a Plains, which you almost always will. Jace, the Mind Sculptor is a Planeswalker with mind-altering powers whom you can call to your side. he grinds away your opponent's library and eventually exiles it entirely, making your victory certain.

~So let's see a summary of what we may expect . . .

'Multikick' mechanic is a kicker that you can pay several time (like duplicate).

We know that an angel "Ange de l'admonition" 6/6 fly can exile permanents with landfall. Permanents exiled this was returns to the battlefield if the Angel takes a dirt nap.

A creature come into play with Token. Landfall makes this token bigger.

A spell make you draw a card and you can play an extra land that turn.

A red instant can make X damage to any creature if you have the mana.

A black vampire with multikick to make it bigger.

Smother is making a return.

A 5/2 green Apre creature that can be blocked only by 2 or more creatures if you control a mountain.

An Elf (Elfe de la charmille) that can untap all your forests.

A legendary Orgre (Kazuul, Tyran des Falaises) that can put in play 3/3 tokens for each creature that is attacking if the controller doesn't pay 3 for each creature that are attacking.

A Merfolk (Ondins de Seijiri) creature, that is bigger if you control a plains.

A new Jace variant Planeswalker : Hello Jace, Mind Sculptor.

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Stay tuned and we will try to wiggle out better images of the intropacks latter.